Artificial fishing lure



NOV. 4, i947. A

ARTIFICIAL FISHING LURE Original Filed April '30, 1942 Patented Nov. 4, 1947 2,i3@,iii

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to fishing tackle and more in particular to novel improvements in artificial lures, the present application being a division of application Serial No. 441,071, filed April 30, 1942, now Patent No. 2,365,628, issued December 19, 1944, for Artificial fishing lure.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide an artificial lure of simplified construction, which closely simulates natural food for fish, and wherein the said lure is formed with articulated body members which have movement closely approaching the movement of similar members of the said natural food for fish.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel improvement in artificial fishing lures, which are of simplified construction involving the use of a minimum amount of strategic ma terials, and which can be made of plastics, wood and other similar material, properly colored to simulate any particular natural bait desired.

As a further object, the present invention comprehends a novel artificial lure in which certain articulated elements or members are moved in a predetermined manner to simulate the natural bait when the same is moved forwardly in Water.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel artificial lure having articulated body elements to which means is connected for moving said body elements by water pressure.

As a still further object, the present invention contemplates an artificial lure in which the articulated body elements are moved by means of water pressure acting against the same as the lure is moved forwardly and in which the said articulated body elements are connected to the body in such a way as to have lateral swinging motion in respect thereto.

Another object within the purview of the present invention is to provide a novel artificial lure having articulated body elements, the movement of which is initiated through the medium of water, and in which means is provided to return the said articulated body elements from their normal extended position to their normal unextended position adjacent the body, whereby the device may by proper manipulation simulate a cyclic series of movements of natural bait.

Other objects, features, capabilities and advantags are comprehended by the invention, as will later appear and as are inherently possessed thereby.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of an artificial fishthe cross member 22.

ing lure made in accordance with the present invention;

i re 2 is a view in side elevation of the lure shown in Figure 1 of the drawings;

Figure 3 is a, top plan view of the fishing lure shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, but with the articulated body elements in their extended position;

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of another form of construction for an artificial fishing lure made in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the lure shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, an embodiment selected to illustrate the present invention is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 as comprising a body 2 having means 4 at its forward end for connection to a line 6, and having at its rear articulated body members 8 and lil which comprise elements l2 and l l, the latter elements having their ends pivoted to the body 2 as at l 6 and 8, and being operable in a horizontal slot 2E), and the former being pivotally connected to The member 22 has its marginal edge serrated to simulate the feet of a, frog, and is connected as at 2 i to a hook 26 swivelly and pivotally connected, through the eye 28, to the body 2 above the slot 2!). The barbed end of the hook, as clearly shown in Figure 2, extends beyond the cross member 22 and may be weighted as at 30. The treble hook 32 may be connected to the body 2 in spaced relation to the hook 26, if desired.

As clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the arrangement of the elements IZ and l l of the body members 8 and o is such that members M in unextended position are disposed substantially within the slot 20 and extend laterally of the body portion and are connected through the elements l2 to the cross piece 22 disposed substantially vertical adjacent the rear end of the body 2. However, upon application of water pressure to the member 22, as would be experienced upon application of force to the line G, the articulated body elements assume the position asshown in Figure 3 of the drawings, whereby thehook and the body elements are disposed to the rear of the body 2 in substantially horizontal position. At this time the entire articulated assembly as a unit may swing laterally of the body 2 about the pvot points IG and 8, all as indicated by arrows in Figure 3. This feature lends lifelike action to the artificial lure during its operation in water. Upon release of pressure on the line 6, the articulated body elements tend to move into the position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and in order to assist such movement, weight 30 is connected to the hook, as disclosed.

The form of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5 as an alternative construction, conforme in a good many respects to the embodiment shown in Figures l, 2 and 3, and comprises a body 34 having means 36 adjacent its forward end, to which a line 38 may be attached. The articulated body members in this modification, as represented by the reference numerals 40 and 4 2, include elements 44 and 46, the former of which are pivoted to the body 34 intermediate their ends as at 48, and the latter of which are pivotal1y connected together by the cross member 50, which conforms substantially to the cross mem ber 22, and has its edge serrated to simulate the feet of a natural frog. As in the embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, a hook element 52 is connected to the cross member 50 as at 54, and has its opposite end hingedly and swingably connected through the eye 56 to the rear end of the body 34. The hook 52 has its barbed end extending beyond the cross member 50 so as to be in position as shown in full line in Figure 4 when the artici1lated body members 40 and 42 are in their forwardly unextended position with respect to the body 34. However, the cross member 50 is disposed beneath the body 34 and in a position whereby water pressure applied thereto, upon the application of force to line 38, causes the articulated members 40 and 42 to assume the position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 of the drawings, wherein the said member 50 is in substantially a horizontal position.

In this respect the movement of the articlated body members 40 and 42 is somewhat generally the same as in the emb0diment of Figures l, 2 and 3. However, in this modifibation the articulated elements 44 are pivoted for movement in substantially a vertical plane, and the ends thero of are Weighted as at 58 to assist in retrning the articulated body elements to their forward uhextended position in respect to the body 34 from their normal extended position when the pressure on line 38 is momentarily released. This causes movement of the articulatted members to simulate the action of correspondig elements of a natural frog. In this embodiihent, however, the arrangement between the articulated elements 40 and 42 and the body 34 is not Such as to give the horizontal pivotal action present in the embodiment according to Figures 1, 2 and 3. As in the embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the treble hook 60 may be connected to the body 34 in spaced relation to the hook 52, if desired.

In the use of these various embodiments, accordihg to the invehtion, the same may be cast as any other artificial lure or plug, and retrieved, it being desiiable in the retrieving action to make use of the structure involved to give a simulated natural action to the bait, the said action in the present in stances oonsis'ting of the movement of the body elements to correspond to like elements of a natural frog. While the 1ures as shown are representative of the under-water type Which opeate slightly below the surface, neverthe1es's, the present invention contemplates that the lures may be properly balanced and weighted to give the desired action either under or adja'cent the surface o" at a substantial distance below such surface.

While I have herein described and upon the drawings shown illustrative embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may comprehend other constructions, arrangements of parts, details and features without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An artificial fishing lure, comprising a body having a size and shape to simulate some natural food for fish, articulated body elements hingedly connected to said body, means articulatedly connecting together certain of said body elements at the ends thereof opposite the said hinge connections, said means including a fiuid responsive member for moving said articulated body elements from an unextended position to an extended position whereby to simulate life-like action upon forward movement of the body in said fiuid medium, and other means having securement at one end to said fiuid responsive member and being pivotally connected at its other end to the rear of said body.

2. artificial fishing lure, comprisihg a body having a size and shape to simulate some natural food for fish, articulated body elements hingedly connected to said body, means articulatedly connecting together certain of said body elements at the ends thereof opposite the said hinge connections, said means includihg a fiuid res onsive member for moving said articulatd body elements from an uneXtended position to an extended position whereby to siinul dte life-like ac-' tion upon forward movement of the body in said fiuid medium, and a hook member having securement 'intermdiate its lehgth to said fiuid responsive member and being pivotally connected at one end to the rear of the body between said hinge connections; 7

3. An artificial fishing lu1e compris'ing a body having a size and shape to simulate some natural food for fish, a pair of articulatd body elements hingedly connected at one end to the body respectively, means artioulateclly joihing the body elements at the ends opposite said hihge connections including a fiuid responsive member for moving said elements from an ur1eitnded position to an extended position whereby to simulate life-like action upon forward movement of the body in said fiuid medium, and a hook member having securement intermdiat its length to said fluid responsive member and being aivotally connected at the end opposite the hook to the rear of the body between said hinge connections, said ho0k'member assisting in returnihg the articulated body elements to a'n unextended position.

4. An artificial fishing lure, comprising a body having a size and shape to sirnulate some natural food for fish, articulated body elements hingedly connected to said body, means articulatedly connenting together certain of said bodyelements at the ends thereof opposite the said hinge connecti'ons, said means including fiuid responsive member for moving said articulated body elments from an unextended position to an extended position whereby to simulate life-like action upon forward movement of the body in said fiuid medium, said hinge connections being constructed and arranged toallow lateral movement of the articulated body elements to and from an extended position, and other means having securement intermediate its length to said fluid Iesponsive member and being pivotally connected at one end to the rear of the body member, said other means assisting in returning the articulated body elements to uneXtended position.

5. An artificial fishing lure comprising a body having a,. size and shape to simulate some natural food for fish, articulated body elements on the respective sides of the body, one of said elements on each side of the body being pivoted thereto intermediate its length for movement in a substa.ntially vertical plane, means articulatedly joining certain of said body elements including a, fiuid responsive member for moving said elements from an unextended position to an extended position Whereby to simulate life-like action upon forward movement of the body in said fiuid medium, and weights fixed to the outer free end of each pivoted body element to thereby assist in returning the articula.ted body elements from their extended to their unextended position.

ALBERT J. DORY. 

